Support for National Shoreline Management Study

As authorized under Section 215(c) of the Water Resources Development Act of 1999, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers initiated the National Shoreline Management Study (NSMS) through collaborative efforts with other agencies and in coordination with states to assess and understand the condition of U.S. coastlines. This ongoing study involves development and periodic updating of regional shoreline assessments that provide government policymakers, coastal scientists and engineers, stakeholders, and tribes with updated information about regional coastal processes, as well as recommendations concerning shoreline resilience management, planning and adaptation needs, and use of a systems approach to sediment management. As a subcontractor to CDM Smith, ERG developed the Pacific Northwest Regional Assessment NSMS and updated the Hawaii Islands NSMS, California Regional Assessment NSMS, and Great Lakes Overview NSMS. For each assessment, ERG engaged key partners and stakeholders; identified key regional issues concerning the effects of erosion and accretion, socioeconomic impacts, and environmental impacts; identified case studies that highlight key issues; documented existing conditions; and developed recommendations to help ensure enhanced shoreline resiliency and improved shoreline management.